This is great for if you wish your trashy romances were way more unpredictable and interesting. The only thing is, you're not guaranteed a happy endinThis is great for if you wish your trashy romances were way more unpredictable and interesting. The only thing is, you're not guaranteed a happy ending. ...more

I pulled this out of a Little Free Library. It was better than terrible. If this same book was written today by a big name author I think it would beI pulled this out of a Little Free Library. It was better than terrible. If this same book was written today by a big name author I think it would be a little thinner on all the art and auction details. But...still pretty terrible. ...more

Hooray for book clubs, because I never would have read this otherwise. Funny, dramatic, and about not just people but the West itself. How often do yoHooray for book clubs, because I never would have read this otherwise. Funny, dramatic, and about not just people but the West itself. How often do you get to watch a play where the stage is also a character? ...more

A woman ennobles her children through questionable parenting. The writing was there, but I started skipping around in the second half. Somehow this boA woman ennobles her children through questionable parenting. The writing was there, but I started skipping around in the second half. Somehow this book seemed to be all premise and no real meat. ...more

Hey, all of a sudden I'm reading another book about rich east-coasters on vacation. How did that happen? And when is someone going to write one of theHey, all of a sudden I'm reading another book about rich east-coasters on vacation. How did that happen? And when is someone going to write one of these about California? We don't have rich people here? I am curious about our version of the exclusive Adirondack camp. Or the Martha's Vineyard getaway. What've we got...The Bohemian Club? La Jolla? Bring it on -- somebody write me this book about social climbing anxiety in Carmel. ...more

The beginning was uncomfortable, but interesting, and then the beginning is over and you realize the rest of the book is going to be in an entirely diThe beginning was uncomfortable, but interesting, and then the beginning is over and you realize the rest of the book is going to be in an entirely different voice, and all of a sudden you're reading the end, which is long, and also uncomfortable, but for different reasons.

I did love the depiction of mathematical genius as running in families and being kind of a blessing/curse trait, like magical powers or something. And there are some really special moments. Worth a read if you like family sagas. ...more

Five stars not because this is the world's best book but because I love Trollope, and this one reminded me of why. There's something so un-self-consciFive stars not because this is the world's best book but because I love Trollope, and this one reminded me of why. There's something so un-self-conscious about the way he writes and the way he depicts emotion and relationships. His authorial presence is very strong, but not vain -- his tone is like that of a med school instructor, striving to explain the pieces of the human heart in the way he thinks you will best understand. Of course, he's not such an expert, really, except for he wrote hundreds of stories about people, which maybe does make you an expert after a while.

I'm aware that this book won Trollope the most fans and the most mail, because readers loved the story and hated the ending. I don't blame them. But he was true to the characters he created and the story he set out to tell, and the result is more interesting than if he'd gone the other way. ...more

I wouldn't know where to start in the way of a review, so I won't try. These four books are one of the national parks of American literature -- thereI wouldn't know where to start in the way of a review, so I won't try. These four books are one of the national parks of American literature -- there contain so much to see and do, and people flock to them from all over, or at least they should; I have noticed that when members of Updike's original reading public learn that I'm into one of these they look as though they've bitten something rotten.

But anyway, what I remembered about Harry Angstrom, and these books, was how transgressive he is. Not rebellious, even -- Nelson, Harry's son, is rebellious, always whining at his father, trying to hack away at him. But Harry doesn't have enough respect for anything to be said to be rebelling against it. He spends most of his life cruising, peacefully in harness, chatting about the news, but when he catches a sparkle of the horizon he sometimes bolts for it and doesn't apologize. Which brings me my favorite moment from this one, when Harry considers his options after it's discovered that he slept with his daughter-in-law; as he's plotting his final (?...you could argue it's not his final) escape, he thinks of his sin as the "Only good thing he's done all year, as he looks back on it." And I'm damned if I don't agree with him, which is the sinister magic of these books.

"...it had been Mr. Abendroth who had delivered last April that anonymous envelope containing the news that Skeeter wIt's hard to pick just one, but:

"...it had been Mr. Abendroth who had delivered last April that anonymous envelope containing the news that Skeeter was dead. As he held that clipping that day the letters of type like these blades of grass drew Harry's eye down, down into a blackness between them, as the ribs of a grate reveal the unseen black river rushing in the sewer. The earth is hollow, the dead roam through caverns beneath its thin green skin. A cloud covers the sun, giving the grass a silver sheen. Harry takes out a seven-iron and stands above his ball. Hit down."

"He's a friend of Jill's called Skeeter. He's going to stay with us for a couple days." "He is?" Jill's voice has asked. Rabbit sifts himself for "He's a friend of Jill's called Skeeter. He's going to stay with us for a couple days." "He is?" Jill's voice has asked. Rabbit sifts himself for the reason.

This one has always seemed the odd man out to me, but if these novels are about postwar America, then...well, you can't skip the 60s? ...more

So at first I didn't think I could do it again. I had a stronger stomach when I was younger, and I wasn't sure I could still handle all the emptinessSo at first I didn't think I could do it again. I had a stronger stomach when I was younger, and I wasn't sure I could still handle all the emptiness and weird beauty and casual cruelty.

But I kept going for old time's sake, and you know what?

"I'll tell you," he says. "When I ran from Janice I made an interesting discovery"...

I totally DO still have the stomach for it.

"If you have the guts to be yourself," he says, "other people'll pay your price."

It's not like the book is so great, but it tells a story and when I was finished I briefly considered reading everything else Weiner has written. So tIt's not like the book is so great, but it tells a story and when I was finished I briefly considered reading everything else Weiner has written. So there's that. Escapist without being insulting. Except...

The main character becomes addicted to opiates. At times, Weiner seems to suggest that this is a chemical process that can happen to anyone, regardless of life circumstances. So, fine. At other times, it seems we're meant to agree with the character that her pill habit stems from her legitimately overwhelming life. Which is why I feel compelled to say: if you have a house, a healthy child, good friends, a lucrative, fulfilling, and flexible work-from-home writing job, and a nice husband to help, maybe shut up about your problems? There's a subplot about her father's Alzheimer's, which is very sad, but then it turns out that he was rich and smart and bought himself all the insurance, so they can afford to put him in the very nicest place when the time comes. So...lady...I'm guessing pretty much every reader wants to slap you right now. And that tension could have been part of a clever conversation about the nature of addiction, but I don't feel like the book ever took it there. ...more

First of all, the main character's gentlemanly fiancee has a secret child with a mo**spoiler alert** I read this. I had a series of strong reactions.

First of all, the main character's gentlemanly fiancee has a secret child with a movie star ex girlfriend, and she only finds out the week before her wedding. And the movie star wants the fiancee back. I found that situation so threatening I got hives just from reading about it.

All the secondary characters behave badly. I think we're supposed to be cool with that because life is a crazy journey, but I frankly just found it stressful and irritating.

The main character moves back to Sonoma County from LA. On some level, I'm concerned there are only so many spots available for people to do this -- like limited seating on the last plane out of the rest of the world. And maybe she took my spot. Her family was already part of the invading army of vineyard planters, and that's bad enough.

You can't typo-move a bar's location from Santa Rosa to Sebastopol and expect us not to notice. Also, at one point, two characters take a bucolic 5 mile walk to Graton, and I had to map that, because I swear I thought Graton was just the new casino and I'm pretty sure nobody's walking there.

Anyway, if you are not me, you may enjoy this book for the sexless romance and family drama in a pretty setting. ...more

I picked this up, and I'd never read any of his stuff before, and didn't realize that it was #3 in a series. So within the first 40 pages, I was like,I picked this up, and I'd never read any of his stuff before, and didn't realize that it was #3 in a series. So within the first 40 pages, I was like, Wow: Our main character is an archivist who is part of a 200-year-old secret spy ring? And knows the president personally? And also has dirt on the president? And also has a longstanding relationship with a psychotic killer who recently got out of prison, and had killed the former president's wife? And has a dad who was in some kind of secret Navy operation, which may or may not also have something to do with the current president?

My cup runneth over, man.

This is seriously one of the dumbest things I've ever read. But at least he's making archivists exciting. ...more

I usually avoid the 'novel with recipes' format because...well, come on. But this one was drop dead charming and, refreshingly, it didn't try too hardI usually avoid the 'novel with recipes' format because...well, come on. But this one was drop dead charming and, refreshingly, it didn't try too hard to make the food element universal. It's a novel about the life of a woman who loves food. You don't have to love it as much as she does to enjoy.

I only wish it were longer! I wanted it to go on for twice as long, so I could spend more time with the characters and figure out more about what happened to them. (It's a series of interconnected stories, so you lose a lot of time.) More meat on the bones here would also have made the ending better for me. As it is, I was left with a kind of "oh, THAT was the point?" feeling.

I don't care what some people say, the last couple of pages of the Braque chapter were amazing. That's really when I committed to the ride. ...more

I fell all the way into this one. I liked that we followed four strange people, who breathe rarefied Harvard air, but still everyone seemed familiar.I fell all the way into this one. I liked that we followed four strange people, who breathe rarefied Harvard air, but still everyone seemed familiar. I liked the sense of frustrated belonging -- being accepted, being successful, trying to fit yourself into the mold and discovering that you just don't. As a murder mystery it might be a little unsatisfying, but the way the murder gets resolved (or not) is in keeping with how forgiveness is handled elsewhere in the novel, so I felt like I got what I ordered, you know? Honestly, strong recommend, if books about college kids don't set your teeth on edge. ...more

I enjoyed the writing and her general style. The dating chapter was perhaps the least interesting, so it's too bad she put it up front. I think she ouI enjoyed the writing and her general style. The dating chapter was perhaps the least interesting, so it's too bad she put it up front. I think she ought to write a new memoir every ten years, make it a rolling memoir -- because this is probably not going to be the best she can offer.

If you pick it up in a bookstore/library and just want a taste, check out the chapter called (something like) "I didn't sleep with them but they yelled at me anyway." That one jolted me awake. ...more

Discomfort. Either the characters are uncomfortable -- in their bodies, in their situations -- or they are noticing something in the world around themDiscomfort. Either the characters are uncomfortable -- in their bodies, in their situations -- or they are noticing something in the world around them that makes you squirm. It's even hard to get a handhold on the writing, which slips and slides and doesn't take the time to explain itself. But even with no likable characters, no discernible plot, I could not put it down, so what does that tell you? ...more

The substance is the same as the previous books, and just doesn't have the same hold on me, but the style is still compelling. I think it's also worthThe substance is the same as the previous books, and just doesn't have the same hold on me, but the style is still compelling. I think it's also worth noting how much less fun this series would be without the Johnny character. Patrick would have no excuse to therapize himself out loud, and we would have no one to enjoy hanging out with. So: cheers to Johnny. ...more

This is the story of a frustrated actor trying his hand at the consolations of reality TV stardom (stardoom?), and it hangs together surprisingly wellThis is the story of a frustrated actor trying his hand at the consolations of reality TV stardom (stardoom?), and it hangs together surprisingly well until his ex-wife gets into the game. At that point, I just get lost and uncomfortable. She's a religious character, and TV audiences are at one point proposed as a stand-in for God, but that doesn't really explain it for me. ...more

I got to the morgue scene (around page 120, in case there are several and this was only the first) and I'm stopping because I've fucking had enough. AI got to the morgue scene (around page 120, in case there are several and this was only the first) and I'm stopping because I've fucking had enough. And here's why:

"Jamie's executioners had carved a story into his ruined flesh, and in the chill of the morgue...his torture stood out, intimate and nasty."

Really? Tell me more -- j/k, don't. Really, please don't.

"Christine pointed with a rubber-gloved hand. 'Electrical burns on the genitals. Adrenaline injected into the body. Sings of trauma at the anus. Rape with blunt object. Probably a club of some kind.'"

Jesus. OK, we're done though, right?

"She plunged on. 'He was probably killed several times, then revived. The adrenaline in his system points to revivification. The eyes were removed pre-mortem. Of the other body parts, only the hands and feet were removed pre-mortem. The legs and the rest happened after he was dead. It appears that there was some attempt to tourniquet the limbs and prolong life longer still.'"

I was willing to bear with this relentlessly dark story, but now I am not, because I have had enough of this shit. I'm guessing if you are a writer and you are not lazy, there are ways to raise the stakes, to make us afraid of your villains and convey that a situation is serious, without resulting to what is essentially torture porn. But especially in television and now, god help us, in books, these unspeakable acts and their attendant "oh, isn't this horrible, here, smell it" unveilings are reliable additions to the story, casually thrown in like you might add more salt to a sauce. If you were to believe our pop culture, humans do nothing but run around devising increasingly sinister ways to inflict pain on each other. When, in fact, what we do instead is run around looking for our next fix, for the next primetime drama or mystery/thriller that will give us a little thrill, a little peek at a person being hurt, nice and slow.

Don't believe me? No, you do believe me. You can't dodge the evidence. Crime shows, cop shows, legal shows, all hunting for an excuse to show you someone duct-taped to a chair, sweating with fear. Even Scandal, a show that should be about political intrigue and excellent clothes, feels compelled to bust out its rusty torture toolbox almost every episode. And in books, the mysteries! Just check Publisher's Weekly. I could make a Mad Libs for these plot summaries: The corpse was discovered on the ______ with signs of a struggle, her _____ cut off and ______ carved into her _____. And yes, that corpse is usually a woman.

Who was it proposed the theory that the Novel, perhaps by inspiring empathy in readers, has over the centuries curbed the incidence of wars and other violence? That's a nice theory. It's hard to believe it can hold in the face of this much glorification of creative suffering -- not just something horrible, but something horrible devised by another human in order to bring maximum pain. As we read these scenes, over and over again, I can't believe we become anything other than desensitized. All of our landscapes become hellscapes, with a psychopath lurking somewhere, toting a coil of rope and a selection of exacto knives. But we don't mind, we're used to it.

I realize my complaints about escalation are similar to complaints about the escalation of sex in books and visual media. There is generally more sex now, and it's more graphic. The comparison is worth discussing. But most sex is a joyful thing, and this...

"Lucy leaned close, staring at his mangled face. He'd bitten off his own tongue. The blood was still in his teeth."